China Launches First National Virtual Sports Open to Blend Digital Tech with Real Athletics
- The inaugural China Virtual Sports Open national finals concluded at the Shaoquan Sports Center in Hefei, according to reporting by Xinhua News Agency.
- The event utilized advanced digital modeling and smart sensing equipment.
- "The most magical experience is that human limbs are undergoing high-intensity real exercise, while the competitive scene breaks through the limitations of physical time and space," virtual bicycle...
The inaugural China Virtual Sports Open national finals concluded at the Shaoquan Sports Center in Hefei, according to reporting by Xinhua News Agency. Held from August 28 to 30, the multi-day tournament served as China’s first national-level comprehensive virtual sports competition. Thousands of participants entered through initial online qualification stages before 207 finalists advanced to compete in offline events.
National Finals Draw 207 Competitors to Hefei
Bridging Physical Exertion and Digital Software
Athletes competed across multiple digital disciplines. These included virtual cycling, motor racing, and golf.
The event utilized advanced digital modeling and smart sensing equipment. This technology transposed physical exertion into virtual environments while maintaining traditional athletic metrics within software boundaries.
“The most magical experience is that human limbs are undergoing high-intensity real exercise, while the competitive scene breaks through the limitations of physical time and space,” virtual bicycle racer Xie Shenxin told Xinhua News Agency.
Anhui Province Pushes Smart Sports Cloud Platform
Organizers and officials noted that the competition aimed to bridge traditional athletic training with digital innovation.
According to Anhui Provincial Sports Department Vice Director Gan Qing, the province has launched a smart sports cloud platform. The initiative is designed to advance industry-academia-research integration, focusing particularly on artificial intelligence applications within competitive sports, athlete talent identification, and injury rehabilitation.
AI Visual Recognition Enters Hefei Classrooms
The integration of digital technology extended beyond elite competition into educational and public fitness sectors.
In Hefei, local middle schools have incorporated smart sports systems into physical education classes. They utilize artificial intelligence visual recognition and wearable sensors to compile student movement data and generate performance reports.
Measurable Gains in Student Fitness Data
Data from the Hefei 55th Middle School indicated measurable changes following the implementation of smart training devices.
Student standing long jump averages increased by 12.1 centimeters in the spring term compared to the previous autumn term. At the same time, the school saw a reported 43 percent rise in extracurricular sports participation, according to Liu Weina, head of smart sports business at iFlytek.
Simulators and Hypoxic Systems Move to Public Markets
Alongside the championship events, organizers staged a virtual sports city carnival. This provided public access to specialized simulators.
Equipment manufacturers showcased hypoxic training systems designed for both professional altitude simulation and consumer wellness testing. This marked a continued expansion of competitive training technology into broader public applications.